The third in a series previewing SEC football programs.
HOOVER, Ala. -- Bret Bielema is always exuberant and confident.
Yet his third trip to SEC football media days seemed to bring out the most rambunctious showing yet for the Arkansas coach, who envisions having his best edition of Razorbacks this fall.
ARKANSAS
2015 schedule
Sept. 5 Texas-El Paso, 2:30 p.m. (CBS)
Sept. 12 Toledo, 3 p.m. (SECNA)
Sept. 19 Texas Tech, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
Sept 26* Texas A&M#
Oct. 3* at Tennessee
Oct. 10* at Alabama
Oct. 24* Auburn
Oct. 31 Tennessee-Martin
Nov. 7* at Ole Miss
Nov. 14* at LSU
Nov. 21* Mississippi State
Nov. 27* Missouri
*SEC game #Arlington, Texas
Arkansas glance
LAST SEASON 7-6, 2-6 (7th in SEC West)
COACH Bret Bielema (10-15 in third year at Arkansas, 78-39 in 10th year overall)
RETURNING STARTERS 16 (offense 9, defense 6, specialty 1)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS QB Brandon Allen, RB Alex Collins, LB Brooks Ellis, WR Keon Hatcher, TE Hunter Henry, DL Taiwan Johnson, OT Denver Kirkland, OG Sebastian Tretola, RB Jonathan Williams
SEC TITLE SCENARIO Arkansas must figure out how to win close games and finish off road games. Staying healthy at a few thin spots is key, as is keeping its turnover margin and penalties in check. If the passing game can become dangerous enough to give an already potent run game more space and the defense remains productive, Arkansas could shoot up the SEC West pecking order
Bielema said he told seniors Brandon Allen, Keon Hatcher and Jonathan Williams to enjoy their once-in-a-lifetime experience Wednesday with roughly 1,000 reporters at the SEC media mecca.
"I told those guys ... knock it out of the park," Bielema said. "Let everybody see your personality. Show who you are. Don't be a buffoon, but have fun with the moment."
Bielema set the tone.
He accepted a playful jab from South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier gracefully, gave the ol' ball coach a gig back, had fun with his new sparkly Nike shoes and generally acted like the leader of a program many expect to make more noise in the crowded SEC West this season.
"I just really believe that we've got a great scenario here," Bielema said. "I like the direction of where we're going. How many wins that means this year, I don't know. But I do know that we're a better team than we were a year ago."
Bielema appeared at ease throughout, particularly toward the end of Arkansas' stint in Hoover as he visited with a smaller group of media at the Wynfrey Hotel before he and wife Jen headed out that evening toward Miami and a family vacation.
The Razorbacks coach jostled a travel bag that contained the couple's dogs, Ricky and Lucy. He rubbed the heads of both little dogs and even asked if reporters wanted to do the interview with them out of their bag.
Earlier in the day, Bielema showed his respect for Spurrier after South Carolina's coach had said Tuesday that there were people in Knoxville, Tenn., and Fayetteville turning cartwheels after the 7-6 records posted by Tennessee and Arkansas last year.
"Coach Spurrier has been awesome to my wife and I at every event we've been to," Bielema told reporters. "I think you guys tend to play things up that you want to make into headlines."
Of course, he still managed to rib the 70-year-old Spurrier a bit.
"I will say this," Bielema continued. "I respect my elders at all points."
Bielema also created a stir with his response to a question about how he felt last season when the Razorbacks knelt down at the 2 to close out a 31-7 victory over rival Texas in the Texas Bowl.
"It was a proud moment," Bielema said. "Borderline erotic."
The Razorbacks who made the trip to Hoover had fun with that assessment.
"I mean, I could say it felt that good because it was a big game and we got the victory," Hatcher said. "Yeah, it felt pretty good."
Said Allen: "My choice of words would have been 'nothing sweeter,' but 'borderline erotic' works, I guess, for him."
Arkansas has been last in the SEC West in each of Bielema's first two seasons, but the Razorbacks showed considerable progress last year and are seen as a preseason top 25 team in some circles and a potential SEC contender.
"We're definitely not complacent with a 7-6 season, but it's definitely a launching point," Williams said.
Bielema pointed out that Arkansas' 7-6 mark last year equaled the worst record he posted in his eight seasons as head coach at Wisconsin.
"After we went 7-6 on my last stop, we went on to win 10 games every year, three straight [Big Ten] championships and had a lot of success," he said. "I see a lot of the same things coming for us here, but the bottom line is you've got to make them happen."
In a serious moment, Bielema passed along the message that was perhaps the one he wanted to get across most while at media days.
"I don't need to overstate to you guys I think it's ridiculous the amount of publicity and excitement that we're getting based off of 7-6," he said. "I get it because we were 3-9 ... so I understand the excitement. Because of what they've done on the field and in the classroom, there's a lot of excitement and a lot of buzz.
"I don't want that to go away. I mean, it's absolutely awesome. But we're in the SEC West. We're a 7-6 team looking to improve. So we'll just take every day for what it is and have fun with it."
They got off to a good start Wednesday.
Sports on 07/16/2015